


Equilibrium

by 0Sion0



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Error was Geno and remembered everything, Ink is an idiot with no shame or conscience, Life is the best person here, Love/Hate, Multi, Polyamory, Reaper loves a hug and can't be blamed for that, Romance, even if not immediately, or their beginning, resuming a relationship, that's how you look at it, they're all just trying to be happy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:35:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24151414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/0Sion0/pseuds/0Sion0
Summary: No one knows when it started. Their connection lay deep in the core of the Multiverse. Positive and negative. Creation and destruction. Life and death. This world existed in a delicate balance of opposites, where one thing was inextricably linked to the other. And it's not surprising that the paths of those who took these roles eventually inevitably crossed.
Relationships: Equilibrium - Ink/Life/Reaper/Error, Error/Ink, Life/After/Death, Sans/Sans (Undertale), Sans/Toriel (Undertale)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 108





	Equilibrium

**Author's Note:**

> I see that creating ships OTP4 has become popular, so here's mine. Although it's a little... unusual. God, I still can't believe I wrote this... 
> 
> This work is originally Russian and is available here: "[Равновесие](https://ficbook.net/readfic/9402818)".
> 
> Thanks Crescent Moogle for the beta-reading.

Toriel was the goddess of Life.

She loved creation more than anything in the world and was happy to give a piece of her flame to her countless children. Every monster, every human, every mortal was blessed with a spark of her magic. This energy was the source of everything — consciousness, feelings, and most importantly, free will. They called this immortal essence the "soul". And Life was the one who gave souls at birth, allowing them to grow and thrive.

But her joy couldn't last forever. Where she saw potential, her husband and ruler of the Sky Asgore saw the danger. He was afraid that one day the mortals would forget their place and want to crowd the gods. And in some ways he may have been right. Infinite creation without control would quickly overflow their world. And then, in opposition to Life, Death was made. The grim reaper who took Toriel's bestowed souls and returned their energy to the world, allowing balance to reign. That saved their world. But it destroyed her heart.

Toriel hadn't forgiven Asgore for being so cruel to her creations. And she hated even more the one he had chosen for such dirty work. Someone who was her opposite. Who ruined everything he touched. Who existed only to blow out the lights of souls, which she so tenderly bestowed, and cut off the connection of mortals with this world with his scythe. Someone… Who simply didn't know another life. And the one who hated his existence as much as she did.

_Life would never have thought that she would fall in love with him._

  


***

  


Reaper was the personification of Death.

But unlike the other gods, he hated his work. Of course, his purpose was important — without him, the world would be filled with restless souls who would forever lose their chance to acquire a new life. Reaper was only a guide, and he knew it, so with difficulty, but he accepted his fate. But the others refused to understand that. Mortals were afraid of him. The other gods shunned him. And he wanted just a quiet and peaceful existence and a vague chance to be loved like everyone else.

But his loneliness couldn't last forever. Reaper was used to pushing others away from him, just as others were pushing him. Insults became boring, accusations became outdated, and he stopped paying attention to such trifles, caring about the opinion of only one monster. Oh, yes, his brother was the best. And no matter what it took, Reaper vowed that he wouldn't let the grim reaper's burden ruin eternity for him too. And then he met them. Two more beings that accepted him.

One was the supreme goddess, who was the most beautiful creature he had ever met. They didn't immediately understand each other, but she was the first to see the real him. The one who laughed and joked with him, who talked to him openly, and with whom he could be himself for the first time. Life was a blessing! But then he ran into someone else. A tiny shard of soul that had slipped from his grasp. Someone who was stuck on the border and refused to surrender to him. Against whom his scythe was powerless, as was his touch. The only mortal whose soul he couldn't take, and whom he had to woo.

_Reaper would never have thought that he would fall in love with him._

  


***

  


Geno was a glitch in his world.

He was destined for an unenviable fate in the trap of eternal resets, but he refused to accept it. Refused to give up. And he went against the rules, going so far as to violate the laws of his own universe. For which he paid a heavy price, stuck on the border between life and death. Forever weeping with determination and blood, locked out of his world and no longer able to change anything, he waited for death. Until he came for him. But he couldn't take him to the next world, so refused to leave him alone. At first, Reaper's constant visits were annoying and frankly infuriating. Then... they became strangely familiar. Until they grew into something more. For the first time in forever, Geno could tell that he was happy again…

But this new stability couldn't last forever. He wasn't supposed to exist, and with each new restart, his connection to the home universe thinned. His world was increasingly rejecting him, and his essence was becoming more and more unstable. Until one day he was just thrown to the very edge of reality, completely erased from existence and at the same time preserved in a completely new form.

He couldn't remember how long he had been wandering through the endless whiteness, searching for a way out, calling for help from the one person who had become so close to him. He didn't know how long he'd been crying, curled up until the tears seemed to be imprinted on his cheeks. He couldn't tell when the glitches multiplied and covered his entire body, and his eyes were blurred. But he knew that at one point it didn't matter. When even his own name was erased from memory, leaving behind a broken being with as corrupted a purpose. Someone who wanted to die, but only after he had finished with all these abominations, none of which he now belonged to. The real _error_ of this Multiverse... 

_Geno would never have thought that he would become someone like him._

  


***

  


Error was the destroyer of worlds.

And he approached his work with the obsession of a maniac, although in fact he could hardly say where this desire came from. But a strange hatred of all matter and all beings continued to boil inside, making an exception only for chocolate, stars and Undernovela. However, it's not like anyone knew about it. He was content with his own loneliness, which was difficult to call that, given the ever-persistent voices. And only sometimes he had a vague feeling that something was missing. As if he had forgotten or lost something. But Error hardly paid any attention to such thoughts, more interested in erasing another useless AU.

But his unimpeded destruction couldn't last forever. And one day he was confronted by a person whom Error had hated from the first moment. Never taking anything seriously, dressed in a ridiculous colorful outfit and never parting with an absurdly huge brush, which apparently compensated for his own height. Forgetful of what he had just said, but ready to torment him for weeks with some stupid thing stuck in his skull. A pesky rainbow asshole who had invaded glitch's life out of nowhere and had been stalking him ever since, annoying him with his very existence. But what infuriated the destroyer most was that all of this was fake.

He figured it out, found out who Ink really was — a liar and just a soulless dummy with no real emotions. He pretended every second of his life and played with the feelings of others. Not subject to his strings, and therefore the only one who could fight with him on equal terms. The only one... who didn't hate him and wanted to communicate of their own free will. Who didn't hide his interest and was there when no one else was…

_Error would never have thought that he would fall in love with him._

  


***

  


Ink was the guardian of the Multiverse.

He helped the Creators and reverently protected countless AUs, as well as inspired the creation of new ones. He had to do this, because it gave him emotions — bright colors in the form of the same bright paints that now rested in the sash on his chest. They replaced his soul, which the artist didn't have, no, which he got rid of himself. And although this usually didn't bother him, subconsciously Ink kept searching for something that might stir up strong and unusual reactions in him — something that might make him feel alive.

But this search couldn't last forever. And in the end, he came across someone who really intrigued him. Creating a Void, just like him. A destroyer without his own world, and therefore now erasing others. And almost the only one who could see through his mask. Honestly, Ink was confused. He was used to his soullessness, but the presence of the glitch somehow filled his empty chest with warmth and this strange almost real feeling that consumed him without a trace. This was something new. And he became absolutely obsessed with it. But even getting closer to Error, the artist didn't know what to call it until one of his friends clarified it for him.

They had known each other for a while, and although emotions were Dream's prerogative, he knew no one who understood souls better than she did. Ink accidentally crossed paths with her at work in the unfinished world, and since then they have always helped the Creators together. Which was ironic, considering who they were. A goddess who creates souls and a soulless being who will never get one. But maybe that's why he was subconsciously attracted to this Toriel, because as with Error, he saw something incomprehensible in her, and therefore infinitely interesting to himself. And it was she who explained to the guardian what that feeling was. But as shocking as the answer was, something struck him even more.

_Ink would never have thought that he would fall in love with her._

  


***

  


Life was sorrowful.

She knew she wasn't Reaper's only love, but it wasn't cheating. She liked Geno as much as any living being in this huge Multiverse. And she understood what Reaper found in him, willing to share his feelings with anyone else, as long as it meant that her lover would be happy. So they got along quite well, even if at first Geno was obviously embarrassed by her presence. Which was almost funny, because he wasn't afraid of Reaper, and on the contrary, he didn't hesitate shouting and swearing if the other violated his personal space. Although they all knew it was just a way to hide his embarrassment.

But with her… It was as if the little mortal considered himself unworthy of her company. Or that he was ruining their already established relationship. So at first the meetings were awkward, until she and Reaper dispelled all the crazy theories about why he might be a burden to them. But when all the misunderstandings were settled, and he finally calmed down, they became really good friends.

In contrast to the arrogant and insistent god of Death, Life was tactful and refined. It was quiet and comfortable around her, and with her Geno shared many fears that he hadn't wanted to talk about, hiding his emotional experiences even from Reaper. And Toriel opened up beside him as well. They both were isolated for a very long time — he on the Save Screen, and she in her Secret Garden, escaped from everyone. It was one more reason why they were able to find comfort and understanding in each other, even more than in their common lover. Or rather, it was… Until Geno disappeared.

_Life only then realized how much she loved him._

  


***

  


Reaper was desperate.

It was like a repeat of his worst nightmare — the incident for which he hated himself the most. Then Toriel was hurt because of his scythe and was actually dead, forcing Reaper to go against his essence and bring her back from the other world. And he blamed himself even more for having been able to do something like this, but couldn’t find just one missing soul that was as dear to him. Geno wasn't there. Nowhere. Although Reaper was sure that he wasn't dead, because then he would have seen him off himself. And even if he had hoped that he would never come to him for work, knowing that he was somewhere, but unable to find him, was much more frightening.

It was just ridiculous! The souls were in his power, and he heard and felt every one of them! And the call of Geno was always the most constant in his mind, never quieting for a second, but at the same time not sounding too strongly, which would mean final dying. It was a side effect of his half-dead state, but it was because of it that Reaper always knew that his beloved was alright. And so the minute when it suddenly fell silent was the most terrifying moment of his existence.

He was looking for it. Run off his feet, combing the Multiverse over and over in blind obsession. Life tried to support him and help him in any way she could, but even their combined power was not enough. Which was even more incomprehensible, since she felt souls as well as he did, if not better. And that almost made him give up. Reaper honestly thought he would never see him again… Until Toriel's new friend suddenly showed up on the doorstep and brought their love back home.

_For that alone, Reaper was ready to fall in love with him._

  


***

  


Error was confused.

He had only heard of the gods of Reapertale before, but he had never encountered them personally, for destroying their world would be a hard one even for him. And he certainly wasn't going to visit them, but Ink didn't listen to him, almost dragging glitch into the house, never ceasing to utter some admiring nonsense along the way. Such meetings usually didn't end well, so the destroyer expected anything - inconvenience, hidden or obvious dislike, or most likely immediate contempt and hatred, which was the common result of other attempts by the artist to introduce him to someone. But what he couldn't have expected was to find himself in Death's embrace. Literally.

Reaper tearfully threw his arms around him the first second he saw him, gripping him in a death capture that surprised everyone in the room. Even Ink was instantly lost for words and fell silent, watching the scene with ill-concealed curiosity. But most shocked was Error. Not because he didn't like being touched, but just the opposite. He almost wasn't glitching. He was confused, irritated, and embarrassed, but for some reason he couldn't feel any real anger at such blatant arrogance. No, somehow Reaper's cold touch felt... familiar. Habitual. Until something in his head snapped and he broke free with a torrent of curses, then belatedly crashed.

He was stuck in the reboot for a long time. Longer than usual, so that even the guardian began to worry. And when he woke up, everything was upside down. His memory was full of images that couldn't belong to him, and yet they were there. Memories were coming back in tiny chunks, seizing his mind from within and bewildering glitch completely. Until his thoughts were so lost that he could no longer tell who he was or what he wanted.

_But the main thing that Error realized with horror — he once loved them._

  


***

  


Ink was excited.

He was so enthusiastic that he almost stained Toriel's carpet, but with a great effort he suppressed this inky urge. That would be rude. And he didn't want to ruin such a great day! And yes, it was just like that! The artist wasn't sure how many questions he asked or how many pages of the notebook he wrote, but he wanted to know absolutely everything, intrigued by every tiny detail. But what surprised him most, was not the mystery of the past, but the wild mix of emotions it had caused.

The guardian didn't know how to react, and he was definitely overdone with a couple of vials, but there was one feeling that he didn't find in himself, and that confused him. He didn't feel jealous. Although before he more than once caught himself getting possessive when someone got too close to the glitch. And this despite the fact that Reaper wasn't just happy to see the destroyer, he claimed him. And Ink was almost sure that he should be against it, but his own reactions told a different story, increasing his interest, and also his longing to draw how his beloved peacefully rested in other's arms.

It was... strange. Intriguingly. Curiously. But in trying to understand the reasons for this paradox, Ink realized something else. Reaper was like him. Even if true love was a mystery to him, he would have recognized this type of obsession anywhere. Even though Reaper had known Error before and under a different name, he was special to him. And if there was one thing the guardian was sure of, it was that the god of Death wouldn't back down — not after such a long and painful separation. And that could be a problem... Until he came to an absolutely reckless, but too tempting decision.

_And all that Ink had to do was just fall in love with him._

  


***

  


The small room was filled with ringing and joyful laughter.

The tears were still wet on her face, but it was the first time in years that Life had laughed so heartily. Honestly, she hadn't expected this. She knew the guardian well enough to know at the first sign of a sly grin that he was up to something extremely crazy, but he surprised her. But it was precisely for such antics that she loved him — with the artist, things never were boring. One of the reasons why she understood Geno's choice and was happy for him. Even knowing that he had found a new life and a new partner, Ink had long been attractive to her, and if it was him, she was ready to step back. What she didn't know was that the guardian had other plans.

He watched Reaper and his inner struggle for a long time, not knowing much about his emotions, but still having a rough idea of the course of other's thoughts. At least Toriel knew exactly what was bothering her love. Reaper wanted Geno to be happy, they both did. But they also both understood that Ink was an integral part of this new happiness. Which left Reaper torn between wanting to get the glitch back and having to sacrifice his own desires for someone he cared so much about. However, the artist wanted to try something different.

And as soon as Error came to his senses and with a muffled yelp and a deep blush broke from Death's grip, he set his plan in motion.

"So you really love him? Even now?" he asked again, looking at the Reaper, but actually addressing the question to everyone in the room, paying particular attention to the even more flushed destroyer.

"I always will. Whatever... Whoever he became. But I suppose I'm too late?" Reaper nodded with a touch of sadness, reflexively extending his hand again, only to pull it back in the middle when glitch flinched in response to the movement. There was a look of pain on his face, which he tried in vain to hide behind a wobbly smile, but Error noticed, grimaced with equally conflicting emotions.

"If you think I'm going to leave this rainbow bastard for some memory of you two..." he hissed with increasing menace, crawling a little further away and trying to ignore the searing images. He was happy with his current life and he certainly wasn't going to…

"Actually, I thought you could take him," the guardian said nonchalantly, leaning back in Life's lap and playing with his own scarf, completely ignoring both the shocked silence brought by his words and the loud, strangled crash that followed. For one horribly long second, Error felt betrayed, and tears almost formed on his eye sockets, ready to turn into deadly weapons, but then Ink continued, rising and taking a couple of quick steps closer to the god of Death. His eyes were rapidly changing shape as he grinned broadly and pulled Reaper to him in one sharp movement. "But only if you take me with him."

A deep and passionate kiss from the fairly licking artist was the last thing Reaper expected from this day. Life opened her lashes spellbound, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks, as the destroyer was completely drowned in glitches at the sight, barely managing to utter a belated indignation: 

"W-what the hell are you doing, you idiot?!"

"You didn't like it?" Ink was upset, instinctively touching the blue vial, but then reaching for another color, his former cunning returning to his face. "Oh, I'm sorry, you wanted to kiss him yourself? You still can do it now."

"Y-you… You could have at least asked me first!" Error shouted the first thing that came to mind, too late he realized what he had just said, and immediately regretted it.

"Oh, so that's the only problem? Okay, then _can I_ kiss Tory next?" Ink asked innocently, his smile widening as the blue marks on other's cheeks almost completely disappeared in the light of the same blue magic. Life couldn't help but sigh in surprise. "Wait, I _told_ you that I like her? I'm sure I should have..." The artist hastily reached for his scarf again, trying to find the relevant record among this mess, but in the middle of the search abruptly stopped and looked up as a tiny hint of seriousness flickered through his playful mood. "Although if you’re against it, we can leave. Right now. I'll apologize, we'll forget everything. But is this really what you want?" He looked away, and for the first time the symbols of doubt flickered in his sockets. "Not that I wouldn't be flattered if I was the only one you needed, but... We both know well that you don't let go of souls, belonging to you, Error."

The destroyer gulped, feeling his unstable essence throb painfully. He didn't want to admit it, but damn Ink was right, knowing better than anyone how greedy he was. Mostly because he was exactly the same. And Error hated that. Looking for an escape route, he cautiously turned to Reaper, still confused by this latest incident, and almost choked on the burning hope that pulsed in the other's eyes. Toriel's soft and sincere laugh was the last thing that finished the glitch, making him look around the room again in a mix of annoyance and strange warmth, and then stare at the idiot with whom he was unlucky to link his life.

_Error would never have thought that he could love him even more._

**Author's Note:**

> It all started with this picture, and then I couldn't stop myself.  
>   
> 


End file.
